Soft-tension-graduating device for musical instruments.



T. DANQUARD.

SOFT TENSION GRADUATING DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5. 1914 RENEWED APR. 5. 1911. 7

1,287,649. Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

@UQ W smv mw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS DANQUARID, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTO PNEUMATICACTION COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SOFT-TENSION-GRADUATING DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application filed October 5, 1914, Serial N0. 865,026 Renewed April 5,1917. Serial No. 159,860.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS DANQUARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Soft-Tension-Graduating Device forMusical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for graduating the air pressure of amusical instrument and the principal objects thereof are to provide anextremely simple and inexpensive means by which an ordinary regulatingmeans for softening the tension can be augmented either by one step, ora plurality, so that two or more different degrees of tension can besecured; and especially to arrange these parts in such a way that theyadd very little to the expense of manufacture and assemblage of theparts of the instrument, and to the space occupied. The invention isapplicable to various kinds of musical instruments operatedpneumatically.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 isa longitudinal central sectional view of the connections between themain bellows and action of a musical instrument showing a preferred formof this invention connected therewith;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same with parts removed to show interiorconstruction, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 on reduced scale.

The invention is shown as applied to an instrument in which there is amain windway 10 connecting the main bellows (not shown) through a port11 with the action through a tube 12. Between the wind-way 10 and thetube 12 is a slidable valve 13 adapted to close a port 14 and thus stopthe connection between these two parts as is well understood in thisart, this valve being closed when it is desired to reroll and in someother cases.

Between the ports 11 and 14 are two passages 15 and 16 separated fromeach other and adapted to be connected through a port 17. This port iscontrolled by a valve 18 and can be entirely closed thereby. When thisvalve is closed the air from the tube 12 passes along the channel 16into a pneumatic 20 and out from the same into the channel 15. The portconnecting the channel 15 with the interior of the pneumatic 20 iscontrolled by a valve 21 which is so connected with the movable leaf 22of the pneumatic that it will be brought nearer to its seat whenever thepneumatic starts to collapse. In this way a choking action is securedand the tension or pressure, as it is called on the action is reduced.

I have shown the casing as provided with two cleats 26 each connectedwith an arm 23 by a spring 24 which is removably attached to the arms bya small pivoted catch 25. The arms 23 are secured to the movable leaf,thus normally tending to hold the pneumatic in its expanded condition byspring action.

hat has been described above can be used to soften the tension on theaction but by its use alone, there are only two conditions, the fulltension and the reduced tension. This invention has mainly to do withmeans whereby the pneumatic 20 can be still further collapsed todifferent degrees so that the choking action can be increased. In theform shown in the drawings, three different degrees of reduced tensionare secured in addition to the full tension. For this purpose, to themovable leaf 22 in this pneumatic are positively fixed by means of twobars 27 and 28 two additional movable leaves 29, constituting parts ofthe auxiliary pneumatics 30 and 31 respectively.

Projecting into the interior of the main regulating pneumatic 20 is aledge 32 having two pouches 33 therein each connected by a channel 34with a tube 35. One of these tubes is connected with a channel 36 andthe other with a channel 37 having ports 38 and 39 respectively locatedin a plate 40 and adapted to be uncovered by a valve 41. This valve isarranged to slide with the valve 18, being connected therewith by ahandle 42 and being operated in any desired ordinary way. The port 39 isin advance of the other port 38 so that when the valve is moved the-p0rt39is opened first. On further movetion and collapses.

ment of the valve in the same direction the other port 38 is uncovered.The relationship of the valve 41 and the valve 18 is such also that thevalve 18 will be fully closed upon motion of the valve rod 42 beforeeither of the ports 39 or 38 is opened. Thus a continuous motion in thatdirection will first close the port 17, then open the port 39 andfinally open the port 38.

The closing of the port 17, as has been stated, causes a reducedtensionto be applied to the action on account of the motion of themovable leaf 22 and the valve 21. When the port 39 is opened by thefurther motion of the valve stem 42 air will be admitted into one of thetubes 35 and into and behind one of the pouches 33, the other side ofwhich is open to the suction. This causes the pouch to move outward byexpansion and a double valve 44 to move with it. This opens a port 45and connects a passage 46 with the interior of the pneumatic 20 andshuts this passage off from the communication with the exterior airthrough a port 47. This channel 46 communicates through a port 48 withthe auxiliary pneumatic 31 and consequently this is'connected with thesuc- On account of its movable leaf being fixed to the movable leaf 22it assists'in the collapsing of the latter by adding to the area of theefi'ective action of the suction. Thus the regulating pneumatic 20 willbe further collapsed and the valve 21 brought nearer to its seat. Inthis way the tension on the action is further reduced and thus we get asecond graduation of the reduction of the pressure.

The other auxiliary pneumatic 30 is operated in exactly the same way onthe opening of the port 38 and reduces the tension still further so thatwe get another degree of tension. The number of different degrees oftension will depend of course upon the number of these auxiliarypneumatics that are employed within the principle of this invention.

Although I have illustrated and described only a single form of theinvention I am aware of the fact that many modifications can be madetherein by any person skilled in the art without departing from thescope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore I do notwish to be limited to the details of construction herein shown ordescribed, nor to any particular type of musical instrument, but what Ido claim is 1. In a pneumatic tension graduating device, the combinationof a pneumatic, a tension graduating valve controlled thereby, anauxiliary pneumatic connected with the first named pneumatic directlyfor assisting its collapse, and means for connecting the auxiliarypneumatic with a source of air tension to set it into operation.

2. In a pneumatic tension graduating device, the combination of apneumatic, a tension graduating valve controlled thereby, an auxiliarypneumatic connected with the first named pneumatic for assisting itscollapse, and manually controlled means for connecting said auxiliarypneumatic with the interior of the first named pneumatic to assist itsoperation; 7

3. In a pneumatic tension graduating device, the combination of apneumatic, a tension graduating valve controlled thereby, a plurality ofauxiliary pneumatics connected with the first named pneumatic forassisting its collapse, and means for connecting the auxiliarypneumatics successively in fixed sequence with a source of air tensionto set them into operation;

4. In a pneumatic tension graduating de.

vice, the combination of a pneumatic, a tension graduating valvecontrolled thereby, a plurality of auxiliary pneumatics connected withthe first named pneumatic for assisting its collapse, and means forfirst causing all air passing from the action to the wind way to passthrough the first named pneumatic, and thereafter connecting saidauxiliary pneumatics in succession with the interior of the first namedpneumatic.

5. In a musical instrument, the combination with a tube for conductingair from an action, a main wind-way, and means for conducting air fromone to the other, of a pneumatic, means for conducting the air throughthe pneumatic for the purpose of reducing the air tension on the action,a second pneumatic, the movable leaf of which is fixed to the movableleaf of the first pneumatic, and means for connecting the secondpneumatic with a source of air tension for the purpose of causing it tocollapse in unison with the first pneumatic and increasing the reductionof tension.

6. The combination with a main wind-way, means for conducting air froman action to the wind-way, and a valve for choking the tension, of apneumatic adapted to be connected with said means and adapted to becollapsed when connected therewith, the movable leaf of whichconstitutes means for moving said valve into its choking position, asecond pneumatic, the movable leaf of which is fixed with respect to thefirst named movable leaf, and means whereby the second pneumatic can beconnected with a source of air tension, whereby both pneumatics willoperate together and still further close said valve.

7. The combination with a main windway, means for conducting air theretofrom an action, a regulating pneumatic, a passage from the main wind-wayto the regulating pneumatic and back to the action, a valve for closingthe first named means to cause the air to traverse said passage, and avalve in said pneumatic adapted to regulate the amount of air passingthrough said passage, of a plurality of auxiliary pneumatics, themovable leaves of which are connected with the movable leaf of the firstnamed pneumatic, and means whereby the auxiliary pneumatics can beconnected one at a time with a source of air tension whereby they willassist the leaf of the first named pneumatic and increase the chokingaction of said valve in difierent degrees according to the number ofsaid auxiliary pneumatics that are so connected.

8. In a self-playing musical instrument, an expression-governing devicehaving a ten sion controller normally set to produce a certain toneeffect, and means for subduing the tone including separate pneumaticassisters for exerting closing force upon the controller to reduce theair tension and means for energizing said assisters one by one insequence.

9. In a self-playing musical instrument, an expression-governing deviceincluding a pneumatic having yielding means for opening it with a forcesubstantially equal to that of the air tension therein necessary toproduce a certain tone effect, and pneumatic means for exerting aclosing efiect upon the first-named pneumatic against the action of saidopening means.

10. In aself-playing musical instrument, an expression-governing deviceincluding a pneumatic, a spring normally opening said pneumatic with aforce suflicient to counteract that of the air tension therein necessaryto produce a certain tone effect, separate pneumatics for opposing theaction of said spring, and means for energizing said lastnamedpneumatics individually and collectively.

11. In a self-playing musical instrument, an expression-governing deviceincluding a pneumatic, yielding means for opening said pneumatic under apredetermined force sufficient to cause the production of loud toneeffects, a pneumatic assister for exerting closing pressure upon thefirst-named pneumatic against the action of the opening means to causethe production of softer tone effects, and means for energizing saidpneumatic assister.

12. In a self-playing musical instrument, an expression-governing deviceincluding a pneumatic, means for opening said pneumatic with apredetermined force sufficient to cause the production of loud toneeffects, an auxiliary pneumatic acting upon the movable side of thefirst-named pneumatic against the action of said opening means to causethe production of softer tone effects, an exhaust chamber, and means foropening and closing communication between the exhaust chamber and saidauxiliary pneumatic.

13. In a self-playing musical instrument,

an expression-governing device including a pneumatic and yielding meansfor holding said pneumatic open under a predetermined force, incombination with an auxiliary pneumatic acting upon the first-namedpneumatic in opposition to its opening means, an atmosphere portcommunicating with the auxiliary pneumatic, an exhaust port, and meansfor alternately placing the atmosphere port in communication with theexhaiust port and with the atmosphere to cause the operation of theauxiliary pneumatic. I

14. In a self-playing musical instrument, an expression-governing deviceincluding a pneumatic and means for opening the same under a forcesufficient to cause the instrument to play with a certain tone effect,in combination with an auxiliary pneumatic acting upon the first-namedpneumatic in opposition to said opening means, an exhaust chamber, andmeans for placing the auxiliary pneumatic in communication with theexhaust chamber.

15. In a self-playing musical instrument, an expression-governing deviceincluding a pneumatic, and means for opening the same under a forcesufficient to cause the instrument to play with a certain tone effect,in combination with an auxiliary pneumatic acting upon the first-namedpneumatic in opposition to said opening means, an exhaust chamber, andmeans for alternately placing said auxiliary pneumatic in communicationwith the exhaust chamber and with the atmosphere.

16. In a self-playing musical instrument, an expression-governing deviceincluding a pneumatic and means for opening the same under a forcesufiicient to cause the instrument to operate with a certain toneeffect, in combination with an auxiliary pneumatic acting upon thefirst-named pneumatic in opposition to said opening means and normallyin communication with the atmosphere, an exhaust chamber, and means forcutting ofi communication between the auxiliary pneumatic and atmosphereand placing it in communication with the exhaust chamber.

17. In a self-playing musical instrument, the combination with awind-inducing device having means for communication with asound-producing action, of means sub ject to operation by the airtension of said device for throttling such communication, and a springopposing the operation of the last-named means with a forcesubstantially equal to that of the air-tension required to duce loudtone effects.

18. In a self-playing musical instrument a pneumatic having means forcommunication with a wind-inducing device and a sound-producing actionand subject to operation by air tension therein, means actuated by saidpneumatic for throtmy-hand, in the presence of two subscribtlingcommunication With the sound-proing Witnesses. ducing action, and aspring opposing the action of said pneumatic under a force sub- THOMASDANQUARD' 5 stantially equal to that of the airtension wltnessesrequired to produce loud tone efliects. WILLIAM J. KEELEY, In testimonywhereof I have hereunto set WILLIAM J. BARTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingth (Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

